Understanding and Managing Public Organizations

UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS, FIFTH EDITION

“This is the definitive place for all serious students of public administration to start. It is the most comprehensive book in the field. It is required reading for MPA students, Ph.D. students, and all scholars in the field.”
—Kenneth J. Meier, Charles H. Gregory Chair in Liberal Arts, Texas A&M University

“This is the bible for public management scholarship. It is the first place to turn when looking for an accessible but rigorous analysis of research on basic aspects of organizational life in the public sector, such as how culture, leadership, and motivation matter. The interdisciplinary array of research on public management has become so voluminous as to seem overwhelming at times. Rainey’s extraordinary curatorial prowess allows him to turn these fragments of work into a coherent and insightful body of knowledge. Anyone interested in how research can inform governance should start with this book.”
—Donald Moynihan, professor of public affairs, Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin—Madison

“This is the Encyclopedia Britannica of public management; if you want to find out what has been written, and what is collectively said about the practice and theory of public management, look no further than Rainey’s updated and comprehensive fifth edition.”
—Richard M. Walker, chair professor of public management and associate dean, City University of Hong Kong

“For more than a decade, Rainey’s book has been a must-read for everyone in the community of public management in Korea, just like in many places all over the world. Undoubtedly, it provides a valuable resource for researchers and students who are interested in public management and applications of organization theory to public organizations. It is quite simply the best investigation of public organization and management that I’ve read.”
—Young Han Chun, associate dean, Graduate School of Public Administration, Seoul National University

Hal G. Rainey is the Alumni Foundation Distinguished Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy, in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, where he teaches public administration and organization theory and behavior. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Figures, Tables, and Exhibits

Preface

The Author

Part One The Dynamic Context of Public Organizations

1 The Challenge of Effective Public Organization and Management

2 Understanding the Study of Organizations: A Historical Review

3 What Makes Public Organizations Distinctive

4 Analyzing the Environment of Public Organizations

5 The Impact of Political Power and Public Policy

Part Two Key Dimensions of Organizing and Managing

6 Organizational Goals and Effectiveness

7 Formulating and Achieving Purpose: Power, Decision Making, and Strategy

8 Organizational Structure, Design, Technology, Information Technology, and Social Media

9 Understanding People in Public Organizations: Motivation and Motivation Theory

10 Understanding People in Public Organizations: Values, Incentives, and Work-Related Attitudes

11 Leadership, Managerial Roles, and Organizational Culture

12 Teamwork: Understanding Communication and Conflict in Groups

Part Three Strategies for Managing and Improving Public Organizations

13 Managing Organizational Change and Development

14 Advancing Effective Management in the Public Sector

References

Additional Reference Materials

Name Index

Subject Index

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